Valve construction



2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR IONNEY Jan. 19, @943. D, M, HAMMETT VALVECONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 28, 1940 5 6 v I E Jan. 19, 1943. D. M. HAMMETTVALVE CONSTRUCTION 1940 2v Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 28

INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 19, 1943 VALVE CONSTRUCTION David M.Hammett, San Marino, Calif., assignor to Axelson Manufacturing Co., LosAngeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application September 28,1940, Serial No. 358,810

7 Claims. (Cl. 277-60) My invention relates to a Valve construction andhas particular reference to a multiple ball valve which nds particularutility when employed for high pressure reciprocating pumps.

In the oil producing industry it is common practice to employreciprocating pumps for removing oil to the ground surface from thoseWells which will not oW. These pumps employ valves of the type generallyknown as ball valves including an annular seat adapted to receive aspherical ball which is guided in its movement toward and away from theseat by a cage which surrounds the ball.

When valves of this type are constructed with a single ball and seat,considerable diiculty is encountered arising from the battering of theseat through impact of the ball thereon. The fluids which are passedthrough such a valve are usually relatively viscous so that once thevalve is opened (as is the case with a standing valve during the suctionstroke of the pump), a reversal of pump stroke occurs before the valvehas time to close. The reversal of pump stroke creates a pressuredilierential across the valve tending to move the ball toward a closedposition. This pressure differential increases as the ball is movednearer and nearer its closed position, rising to as high as threethousand pounds per square inch at the time the valve is closed with theresult that the ball strikes the seat a violent blow which must be borneby a relatively narrow annular contact area. Such an impact occurs ateach stroke of the pump with the result that the seats soon becomedamaged and worn and the valve begins to leak.

rior attempts to overcome this disadvantage have been directed tosubstituting a plurality of smail balls and seats for the single largeball. Since the area of the annular seat which must withstand the blowvaries directly with the seat diameter while the cross sectional area onwhich the pressure diierential acts varies as the square of the seatdiameter, this expedient materially reduces the wear on the seats.Furthermore, a small ball need be raised but a correspondingly smallerdistance above the seat in order to fully open the valve so that areduction in ball diameter may be accompanied by a material shorteningof the distance through which the ball is moved before it strikes theseat. will therefore have a lower velocity at the time of impact andbeing much lighter in weight will strike the seat a much less violentblow.

Such attempts to overcome the disadvantages found in single ball valveshave, however, thus A smaller ball far been unsuccessful for the reasonthat prior to my invention each of the balls was surrounded by anindividual cage for guiding the movement of the ball toward and awayfrom its seat. Because of the small space available, such individualcages so restricted the iluid passage through the valve as to rendersuch valves entirely unsatisfactory.

It is therefore an object of my inventionto provide an improved valveconstruction in which a single valve cage is employed to guideandcontrol the movement of each of a plurality of balls toward and awayfrom valve seats individual to each of such balls.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a valve construction ofthe character set forth in the preceding paragraph in which the ballsand seats are so arranged that a single cage member encircling all ofthe balls sufiices to maintain each ball aligned with its seat.

It is an additional object of my invention to provide a valveconstruction of the character set forth in the preceding paragraphs inwhich the balls and seats therefor are arranged in such configurationthat each ball cooperates with the cage member to keep all adjacentballs in operative relation to their seats.

Certain types of pumps require that the valve be wholly contained withina tubular pump plunger so that when a single ball valve is employed, thefluid which passes between the ball and the seat must pass upwardlyaround the ball and between the ball and the walls of the plunger. Thisrequires the use of a smaller ball than would ordinarily be required inthe case of a valve employing an open type of cage with the result thatthe fluid passage is correspondingly restricted. This condition may berelieved by employing a multiple ball valve of the character abovedescribed, and it is' therefore an additional object of my invention toprovide a valve construction of this character in which the balls andseats are so arranged as to dene a closable fluid passage extendingwholly Within the valve member and from one end to the other thereof.

Cer-tain diiiiculties lare also encountered when ball valves `are usedon pumps which are installed in wells containing gassy uids andparticulariy in shallow wells in which the gas pressure is relativelyhigh. These difficulties result from the recompression of the gas duringthe return stroke of the pump and are caused in part by the fact thatthe relatively large and heavy valve members employed require aconsiderable opening pressure to be exerted in order to eiect an openingof the valve. The opening pressure required is smaller in the case ofsmall, light weight valve members, and it is therefore another object ofmy invention to provide a valve construction of the character set forthhereinbefore which includes, in addition to a main valve portion forcontrolling the flow of liquids, a small, light weight valve memberthrough which gas may be readily passed.

It is a still further object of my invention to provide a valveconstruction of the character described hereinbefore in which areversible seat member is provided to permit the valve to be renewed bythe mere reversal of the seat member.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a valve constructionof the character set forth in the preceding paragraphs which is simplein construction and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from astudy of the following specifications, read in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view illustnating the construction ofa well known form of reciprocating pump for use in oil wells andillustrating the manner in which ball valves constructed in accordancewith one form of my invention may be used therewith;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the preferred embodiment ofmy invention with parts broken away to show the details of interiorconstruction;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken substantially along the lineIII-III of Fig. 1 illustrating the relative positions of the ball valvemember and the manner in which provision is made for passing uidlongitudinally through the valve structure;

Fig. 4 is a View similar yto Fig. 3 except -that it is taken-substantially along the line IV-IV of Fig. 1 to illustrate the relationbetween the balls and the seat member with which they cooperate;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view similar to Figs. 3 and 4 exceptthat it is taken substantially along the line V-V of Fig. 1 toillustrate the relative disposition of the inlet bores an-d the mannerin which the seat member is made reversible;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken substantiallyalong the line VI-VI of Fig. 5 lto further illustrate the reversibilityof the valve seat member and the manner in which the balls cooperatewith the seat member;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig 6 illustrating a modified form of myinvention wherein an extremely small, light weight ball valve member isincluded for the purpose of relieving the pressure of gas trapped belowthe valve;

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to Fig. 1 butillustrating the con-struction of an oil Well pump for use with which analternative form of my invention is particularly adapted;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of the embodiment of myinvention which is illustrated in Fig. 8 with parts broken away to showthe details of interior construction;

Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along theline X-X of Fig. 8 illustrating the relative locations and shape of thefluid passages provided in the valve body;

Fig. 11 `is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along theline XI-XI of Fig. 8 to illustrate the relation between the balls, theseat member with which they cooperate and the material of the body whichdenes the cage surrounding the balls; and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary perspective View illustrating a modified formof valve member retainer which may be used with either of the forms ofthe device illustrated in Figs. 2 and 9.

Referring to the drawings, I have illustrated in Fig. 1 a well knownform of oil well pump construction as including a pump barrel I withinwhich is reciprocably mounted a tubular pump plunger 2, reciprocation ofthe plunger 2 being obtained by means of a string of sucker rods 3 whichare extended to the ground surface and into connection with a suitablepower apparatus. The pump illustrated is of the type in which thetubular plunger 2 carries at its lower end a working valve 4 which isprovided with an inlet port 5 and a discharge port Ii between which ismounted a valve mechanism 'I operable to close 01T a fluidinterconnection between the ports 5 and 6. A standing valve 8 disposedbelow the lowermost position of the plunger 2 may be similarlyconstructed if so desired.

The valves 4 and 8 Iare so constructed that as the plunger 2 is movedupwardly, oil well fluid will enter the barrel through a lower opening 9and be pulled upwardly past the standing valve 8 while uid which isenclosed within the upper portion of the tubular plunger 2 will be movedupwardly through a string of flow tubing which is connected in sealingrelationship to the pump barrel I. On the down stroke of the plunger 2the standing valve 8 closes so as to prevent any return flow of fluidinto the well bore and the working valve 4 opens so as to permit theplunger 2 to pass downwardly through that portion of the iiuid which isdisposed above the standing valve 8,

I have illustrated in Fig. 1 the pump construction as employing a newform of working and standing valve constructed in accordance with myinvention. The preferred embodiment of my invention, as illustrated inFig. 2, preferably comprises a cylindrical valve body ItY which may beprovided at its upper end with a threaded pin II to permit attachment ofthe body I0 to the lower end of the plunger 2 and which may be providedat its lower end with a threaded box I2 for receiving the threadedportion of a valve bushing I3.

A bore I4 is extended upwardly from the box I2 and terminates asindicated at I5 in a plane surface extending transversely of the axis ofthe valve body to provide a shoulder against which a valve seat memberIS may be clamped by insertion of the bushing I3 within the threaded boxI2. The bore I 4 may be drilled by a conventional twist drill, ifdesired, but the use of a milling cutter or similar tool adapted toproduce a flatbottomed hole is preferred so as to produce the surface I5 simultaneously with the boring operation and eliminate the need for asecond machining operation.

The valve seat member IE preferably comprises a cylindrical piece ofsuitable material having an exterior diameter adjusted to be closelyreceived within the bore I4 and is preferably provided with a pluralityof longitudinally extending bores I1, three in number being illustratedin the drawings, which are preferably uniformly spaced from each otherand are also preferably uniformly spaced from the axis of the valve bodyI0.

The fluid discharge port G may comprise a bore i8 which is extendedlongitudinally downward through the upper or pin end of the valve bodyIl] and bottomed as indicated at I9. I have illustrated the bottom I9 asbeing conical in form inasmuch as the bore I8 may be readily provided byemploying a conventional twist drill which has a conically shaped end.

Fluid interconnection between the valve bores l'l and the bore I8 may beprovided by means of a number of fluid passages 26 equal to the numberof the valve bores Il which is provided in the valve seat member i6.These passages preferably comprise longitudinally extending bores whichmay be drilled with a conventional twist drill and are interposedbetween the valve bores l1. The passages 20 may conveniently beuniformly spaced relative to the valve bores I! and if desired may alsobe spaced from the axis of the valve body l the same distance as are thevalve bores I1. The bores 2B are preferably formed with a diameter suchthat they materially overlap the bores l1 as is illustrated in Fig. 3 soas to act as a continuation of the fluid passage provided thereby, Thesebores are extended upwardly through the valve body I?. until theyintersect the downwardly extending discharge bore I8 in the mannerindicated at 2l.

The upper and lower ends of each of the valve bores l1 are preferablychamfered as indicated at 22 to provide a seat upon which a valve member23 may rest. I have illustrated the valve member 23 as comprising aspherical ball, but it will be apparent to those skilled in this artthat other forms of valve members, such as the elongated memberssometimes called drops, may also .be used. Where I have hereinafter usedthe term ball, it is intended to also include such other forms of valvemembers as would appear suitable to one skilled in this art.

Space for receiving each of the balls 23 may be obtained by providing aplurality of uniformly spaced Valve cage bores or channels 24 which areextended upwardly from the shoulder I and which are spaced relative toeach other and relative to the axis of the member I0 in accordance withthe spacing employed for the valve bores l1 and are angularly disposedwithin the body Ill in such position that the axes of the bores 24 arealigned with the axes of the valve bores Il.

The valve cage bores 24 are formed with a radius sufficiently large toclosely conform tc the. diameter of the balls 23 and take the form ofgrooves or channels because of their intersection. with the fluidpassage bores 29. The bores 29 and 24 are both drilled from the same endof the i valve body I0 and may, in the interest of economy, be drilledat the same setting of the drilling machine. Because of the overlapbetween these bores, the bores 24 are preferably drilled last, using amilling cutter or similar tool. A further saving in manufacturing costmay be realized by so adjusting the size of the balls 23 and the seatstherefor as to permit the bores 2b and 24 to be made of the samediameter, thus permitting these two sets of bores to be drilled with thesame tools and same machine set up.

The valve seat member l5 may be held in such position as to maintainalignment between the bores l1 and 24 by providing a radially inwardlyextending pin 25 which is adapted to engage a slot or keyway 26 formedin the side of the valve seat member I6.

Each of the balls 23 may be maintained associated with a correspondingone of the valve bores ii by adjusting the depth of each of the valvecage bores 2d between an end 21 thereof` and the shoulder l5 in suchmanner that vertical movement of each of the balls 23 is limited to adistance less than its diameter, that portion of the valve body which isdisposed between the ends 21 and the bottom I9 serving as a stop memberfor so limiting the upward movement of the balls 23. Reference to Fig. 4will clearly indicate that the partial encirclement of each of the balls23 by the walls of the associated valve cage bore 24 prevents each ofthe balls from moving circumferentially or laterally outward. Also.inward lateral movement of each ball is prevented by such ball cominginto contact with an adjacent ball. Thus, each of the balls is solimited in lateral movement by the sides of the Valve cage bores 2d andadjacent balls that it is maintained in a position closely adjacent thevalve seat 22 with which it is associated.

While I have described each of the balls 23 as being of the samediameter, it may be desirable to make each of the balls of a differentdiameter and to adjust the diameters of the bores ll, 2), and 2d in suchmanner that each ball may be installed in but one of the bores 24 so asto insure proper coaction between each ball and its seat.

In operation, now of fluid upwardly through the valve body IE? causesthe balls 23 to be raised from. their seats 22 to permit the passage cifluid between the balls and their seats. Alter passing beyond the valveseat the fluid progresses upwardly through the iiuid passages whichextend into communication with the upper bore i8 forming the valveoutlet port E. Reverse flow of uid through the valve is prevented forthe reason that the balls 23 fall by gravity into Contact with theirseats so as to provide a fluid seal extending conipletely across thevalve body iii and preventing downward flow of duid through the valvebores i?. In operation, therefore, the balls 11 are reciprocated betweena and a lower position relative to the seats 22 upon which they arerested.

It has been found that long and continued operation of the valve resultsin sufficient wear of the seats 22 to eventually impair the seal whichshould be provided by the ball at this point so that the valve must beremoved from the pump for the purpose of repairing or otherwise renewingthe valve seats. I is for this reason that the bores Il are providedwith seats both the upper and lower faces of the valve seat member i6 sothat after the valve is removed from the pump, the valve bushing I3 maybe removed to permit removal from the valve body EQ of the valve seatmember l5 which may then be inverted and replaced within the bore i5 insuch position as to provide new and unused seats on the then uppersurface of the valve seat member.

Such a reversal of the valve seat member l is permitted by providinganother keyway 2da which `is located in such angular position relativeto the bores VF that when the seat member l5 is reversed and the pin 25is engaged with the keyway 250 the bores il will again be accuratelyaligned with the valve cage bores 2d. Accurate alignment may be insuredby extending the key- Ways Z and 2531i from opposite faces of the valvesea-t member l@ and by making the length of each less than the axiallength of the valve seat member i6 so that the pin 25 may be engagedonly with that one of the keyways which is identied with the uppermostset of valve seats.

I have illustrated in Fig. '7 a modification of my invention which ndsparticular utility when used with pumps employed for the pumping ofgassy liquids from shallow wells where the gas pressure is relativelyhigh. The construction of the device illustrated in Fig. 7 is similar inall respects to that employed in the construction of the devicepreviously described with the exception that there is providedadditionally a gas relief valve 28. As illustrated in Fig. 7 this valvemay comprise a very small, light weight ball member 29 which is restedupon a slightly smaller diameter relief bore 33. Passage of fluid aroundthe ball 29 may be accomplished by providing upper and lowercounterbores 3| and 32 which have a dia-meter somewhat greater than thediameter of the ball 29 which is employed.

The ball 29 may be prevented from escaping from which ever one of thecounterbores 3| or 32 that it may be disposed in by providing ballretainers 33 and 34 disposed near the surface of the bores 3| and 32.The retainers 33 and 34 may conveniently comprise snap rings adapted tobe received within circumferentially extending grooves 35, the snaprings extending as a partial annulus having a central opening 35 whichis smaller in diameter than the diameter of the ball 29.

It will be observed that the construction just described permits thereversal of the gas relief valve 28 at the same time the valve seatmember I6 is reversed. This may be readily accomplished by removing thesnap rings 33 and 34 and removing the ball 29 from the counterbore 3|before the valve seat member I6 is reversed. The ball 29 is replaced inthe other counterbore and the snap rings 33 and 34 are replaced beforethe valve seat member l is re-inserted in the bore By the constructionjust described I have provided a valve through which gas trapped belowthe plunger may be passed. This Valve may be opened by the exertion of amaterially smaller pressure than is required to lift the balls 23 sothat any loss in effective pump stroke as a result of gas trappedbetween the standing and the working valve is thereby reduced.

I have illustrated in Fig. 8 an alternative form of my invention asapplied to an oil well pump of the type in which the working valve iscarried at the upper end of the pump plunger. As

illustrated in Fig. 8 the pump ordinarily includes a barrel 49 withinwhich is reciprocably mounted a pump plunger 4|, reciprocation of theplunger being effected by means of sucker rods 42 secured thereto. Theupper end of the plunger 4| may carry a working valve 43 which is inturn provided with a pin end 44 permitting connection thereto by meansof a sucker rod coupling 45 of the sucker rod 42. Disposed within thebarrel 40 at a point below the lowermost position reached by the plunger4| in its reciprocating movement there is disposed a standing valve 46which may, if desired, be constructed in the same manner as the workingvalve 43 or may be constructed in accordance with the forms of myinvention previously discussed.

Reference to Fig. 9 will indicate that the valve 43 includes asubstantially cylindrical valve body 41 which is provided with acylindrical bore 48 extending upwardly from the lower end of the body41. This bore is preferably threaded as indicated at 49 or provided withother suitable means for effecting a mechanical connection between thevalve body 41 and the upper end of the plunger 4l. The bore 48 ispreferably bottomed as indicated at 50 in a transversely extending planesurface to provide a shoulder against which a valve seat member 5| maybe clamped by engagement of a pin portion 52 of the plunger 4| with thefemale threads 49. As was pointed out in connection with the previouslydescribed embodiment of my invention, the bore 48 may be drilled by aconventional twist drill, if desired, but the use of a milling cutter orsimilar tool adapted to produce a flat-bottomed hole is preferred so asto produce the surface simultaneously with a boring operation andeliminate the need for a second machining operation. The valve seatmember 5I may be a substantial duplicate cf the valve seat member I6employed on the previously described embodiment of my invention andincludes a plurality of longitudinally extending valve bores 53 whichare preferably uniformly spaced from each other and uniformly spacedfrom the axis of the valve body 41.

Fluid which is passed upwardly through the bore 4S and the valve bores53 may be conveyed to the exterior of the valve body 41 as by providinga plurality of fluid passages 54-55 which may include a plurality oflongitudinally extending bores 54 which extend into communication with acorresponding number of slots 55 extended between the upper ends of thebores 54 and the exterior of the valve body 41. The slots 55 arepreferably cut through a tapered portion 56 of the valve body 41, theportion 56 being tapered inwardly to provide for the aforementioned pinend 44.

The bores 54 may be drilled with a conventional twist drill and arepreferably interposed between the aforementioned valve bores 53. Thebores 54 may conveniently be uniformly spaced relative to these valvebores and, if desired, may also be spaced from the axis of the valvebody 41 by the same distance as are the valve bores 53. The bores 54 arepreferably formed with a diameter such that they materially overlap thebores 53 so as to act as a continuation of the fluid passages providedthereby.

The slots 55 which extend into communication with the bores 54 arepreferably inclined inwardly and downwardly so as to intersect the bores54 at the terminations thereof, which ter minations are indicated ascomprising a part of a plane transversely extending surface 51 in Fig.9. The slots 55 may be conveniently machined by means of a cylindricalend mill having a diameter equal to the desired width of the slot 55,the end mill being disposed in such position as to extend the axisthereof at right angles to a surface 58 defining the back of the slc-t55. v

As in the previously described embodiment of my invention, the upper andlower ends of' each of the valve bores 53 are preferably chamfered toprovide a seat upon which a valve member 59 may rest. Space forreceiving each of the valve members or balls 59 may be obtained byproviding a plurality of uniformly spaced valve cage bores or channels58 which are extended upwardly from the shoulder 59 and which are spacedrelative to each other and relative to the axis of the valve body 41 inaccordance with the spacing employed for the valve bores 53 and areangularly disposed within the body 41 in such position that the axes ofthe bores 55 are aligned with the axes of the valve bores The valve cagebores 89 are formed with a radius sufficiently large to closely conformto the diameter of the balls 59 and take the form of grooves or channelsbecause of their intersection with the fluid passage bores 54 and theslots 55, the valve cage bores 60 being also preferably bottomed at thetransversely extending plane surface 51.

The valve cage bores 6i] may be made to very closely conform to thediameter of the balls 59 so that, as in the case of the previouslydescribed embodiment of my invention, each of the balls 59 willcooperate with the surface of the valve cage bores 56 to maintain eachadjacent ball in operative relation with the corresponding valve bore53.

Additional fluid passage space around the balls y59 may be obtained,however, by forming the bores 68 with a radius somewhat larger than thatof the balls 59 somewhat along the lines illustrated in Fig. 11. If thisalternative arrangement is employed, it may be desirable to also employan additional means for insuring the maintenance of each of the balls 59in its proper location relative to the corresponding valve bore 53. Suchadditional means may comprise a spreader or pin 5i extending upwardlyfrom the valve seat member 5i and be secured thereto as by providingwithin the valve seat member 5| a small threaded bore E2 adapted toreceive a lower threaded end of the pin 6i.

The pin 5| may be cylindrical or may have a triangular cross sectionsuch as that illustrated in Fig. 1l, if desired, but in any case thesize of the pin El is preferably made such as to so limit the inwardlateral movement of each ball as to prevent transverse movement of theball away from the valve bore 53 with which it is to be maintained inassociated relationship. The

threaded bore 62 within which the pin 6| is secured is preferablyextended completely through the valve seat member 5i so as to permit thepin 6! to be removed and attached to the opposite face of the valve seatmember 5I whenever the valve Seat member is reversed, as previouslydescribed, for the purpose of presenting new and unworn valve seats.

With a construction employing the pin 6i, it will be apparent that thetotal vertical movement which is permitted the balls is not limited tothe diameter of the balls or the vertical height of the ball or dropemployed as the valve members, since the use of the pin 6| preventslateral displacement of the balls 59 out of their respective valve cagebores 3 even though one of the balls may move vertically ahead of theadjacent balls a distance greater than the vertical height of theadjacent balls.

In Fig. 12 I have illustrated a modiiied arrangement in which a floatingretainer or cage member 63 may be provided to float with the balls andprevent one of the balls from moving vertically relative to the otherballs a suiiicient distance to permit it to be laterally displaced ormoved out of its respective cage bore Such floating retainer may beconstructed as a substantially triangular member, the central portion 64of which is formed relatively narrow on each of its three sides similarto the cross section and size illustrated for the pin 6l in Fig. 11, buthaving its upper and lower ends 65 and 6B respectively of greater lengthon each side. rIhus, any one ball attempting to move upwardly relativeto the remaining balls will be held by the outwardly flaring upper end55 of the floating guide and hence such ball can only rise to a furtherposition as the remaining balls move similarly and through substantiallythe same distances. Thus, the total vertical travel permitted the ballsmay be of any desired value without any possibility of the ballsbecoming displaced from their respective cage bores.

In addition to the foregoing novel features, the pin 2'5 and slots 25and 25a may be employed for the purpose of maintaining the correctangular relation between the valve seat member 5i and the valve cagebores t5 whenever the valve member 5| is inserted in a reversedposition. Furthermore, the gas relief valve 2B'may lbe incorporated inthe valve seat member 5i should operating conditions be such as toindicate the desirability vof employing such a gas relief valve.

From .the foregoing it will be observed that have provided an improvedvalve construction which is characterized by the employment of aplurality of balls or other valve members in contra-distinction to theball valve constructions n current use which employ a single ball andseat therefor, and that the principles of my invention as abovedisclosed are applicable to valve constructions employing open typecages as in those applications in which the working valve is disposed inthe upper end of the reciprocating plunger as well as to .the enclosedtype first described which are adapted particularly for use where theworking valve vmust be disposed at the lower end of the plunger.

It will `also be noted from `the foregoing that I have provided a novelvalve construction wherein each of a plurality of balls or other Valvemembers are maintained in operative relation to seats individual to suchvalve members by means of a single cage and that such a constructionprovides for a large and substantially unrestricted iluid passagethrough the valve when opened, in contra-distinction to previousconstructions employing a separate cage for each valve member whereinthe fluid passage is greatly restricted.

Furthermore, the` construction described hereinbefore may beconveniently employed to provide a closable fluid passage which extendsfrom one end of the valve body to the other, and which is containedcompletely within the valve body, thus Vadapting this valve also forthose installations where the working valve is disposed at the lower endof the plunger.

The valve construction which is described hereinbefore is susceptible toready and inexpensive manufacture for the reason .that a minimum or"parts is employed, and for the further reason that the valve body iiimay be machined from standard bar stock. This machining operation may,as pointed out hereinbefore, .be performed in conventional machine.tools since the various passages and bores comprising the fluid.passages and the portions of the Valve cage may consist merely in holesor portions thereof which may be drilled into the valve body `iii in adirection parallel to its axis, or may include slots adapted .to bereadily cut from the exterior of the body as by a miling cutter.-

Attention is also called to the fact that the valve constructionhereinbefore described permits the ready renewal of the valve should thevalve seats become Worn by the mere removal of the valve seat member andthe re-insertion of that member in a reversed relationship.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, I do not desire to be limited to any of the details ofconstruction shown or described herein, except as defined in theappended claims.

I claim:

l.Y In a valve construction, the combination of a valve body having afluid passage therethrough; a valve seat member, having parallel upperand lower surfaces, removably received in said passage, said seat memberhaving a plurality of bores therethrough forming valve seats at theirintersection with said upper and lower surfaces, said valve body havingformed therein a valve cage channel for each of said bores; a ball valvemember for each of said bores resting on said seat membery wherebyremoval of said seat member from said passage permits its reversal andre-insertion to bring the seats on said lower surface into engagementwith said ball valve members; and means for aligning said bores withsaid valve cage channels in both positions of said seat member.

2. In a valve construction, the combination of: a valve body having aiiuid passage therethrough; a valve seat member having parallel upperand lower surfaces, removably received ,formed therein a pair of keywaysextending axially of said seat member for receiving said pin, one ofsaid keyways extending from said upper surface only and the other ofsaid keyways extending from said lower surface only, each of saidkeyWays being disposed in such location as to align said bores with saidchannels when engaged with said pin.

3.v In a valve construction, the combination of: a valve body having afluid passage extending into one end thereof; a valve seat memberextending across said passage and having a plurality of valve borestherethrough spaced from each other; a valve cage channel for each ofsaid valve bores, each of said channels comprising a portion of acylindrical bore disposed in axial alignment with a corresponding one ofsaid valve bores; a ball valve member received in each of said valvecage channels; and a plurality of flow apertures extended between saidfluid passage and the exterior of said valve body, each of said flowapertures being disposed between adjacent ones of said valve cagechannels and into intersection therewith.

Ll. In a valve construction, the combination of: a valve body having afluid passage extended into one end thereof; a stop member extendingacross said passage having a plurality of spaced valve cage bores formedtherein; a valve seat member disposed below said stop member extendingacross said passage and'havng a'plurality of valve bores therethrougheach aligned with a corresponding one of said valve cage bores; and aplurality of flow apertures extended between said valve cage channelsand the exterior of said body, each of said apertures comprising alongitudinally extending slot formed in said valve body and disposedsubstantially midway between a pair of said valve cage channels.

5. In a valve construction, the combination of: a valve body having afluid passage therethrough; a valve seat member extending across saidpassage and having a plurality of bores eX- tending therethrough; a ballvalve member for closing each of said bores; and a floating cage memberinterposed between the adjacent surfaces of said balls having facesdirected toward each of said balls including concave depressions inwhich said balls will nest when all of said balls are disposed insubstantially the same plane, but which will prevent substantialvertical movement of one of said balls relative to the others to therebyprevent said balls from passing over the top of any other of said balls.

6. In a valve construction, the combination of a valve body having afluid passage therethrough; a valve seat member extending across saidpassage and having a plurality of closely spaced bores therethrough; aball valve member for each of said bores resting on said valve seatmember; means limiting the upward movement of said ball valve members toa distance less than their vertical height, and means on said valve bodyclosely embracing and partially encircling each of said ball valvemembers for limiting circumferential and outward lateral movement ofsaid ball valve members, said bores being so closely spaced that inwardlateral movement of each of said ball valve members is so limited as toprevent each of said ball valve members from moving away from its bore.

7. In a valve construction, the combination of: a valve body having afluid passage therethrough; a valve seat member extending across saidpassage and having a plurality of bores therethrough; a ball valvemember for each of said bores, each of said ball valve members having adia-meter greater than the diameter of said bores; meanslimiting theupward movement of said ball valve members to a distance less than theirvertical height; and cage means on said valve body partially encirclingeach of said ball valve members for limiting circumferential and outwardlateral movement of said ball valve members, said cage means so closelyembracing each of said ball valve members that said members areprevented from separating a distance greater than the diameter of one ofsaid ball valve members, whereby inward lateral movement of each of saidball valve members is so limited as to prevent each of said ball valvemembers from moving away from its bore.

DAVID M. HAMMETT.

